Salt and pepper shaker



Feb. 21, 1933. H M TAFT ET AL 1,898,152

SALT AND PEPPER SHAKER Filed April 10, 1931 pix/2mm 'Zzzry 7W. 75ft 4, WW, .Ardzar f 74ft.

yum 24 I cam Patented Feb. 21, 1933 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE HENRY M. TAFT, OF WORCESTER, AND ARTHUR E. TAFT, OF GRAFTON, MASSACHUSETTS SALT AND PEPPER SHAKER Application filed April 10,

This invention relates to a combination shaker by the use of which either one of two condiments, such as salt and pepper, may be released and delivered asldesired.

It is the general object of our invention to provide a combination shaker of an improved and simplified construction, so designed that it may be readily manufactured and assembled and that it will be convenient and reliable in use.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a combination shaker in which both compartments may be quickly and easily filled, and the provision of means for delivering a measured quantity of pepper or other material from the inner container.

Our invention further relates to arrangements andcombinations of parts which will be hereinafter described and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

A preferred form of the invention is shown in the drawing, in which Fig. 1 is a front elevation, partly in section, of our improved combination shaker;

Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the outer container;

Fig. 3 is a front elevation of the inner container;

Fig. 4 is a plan view of the base;

Fig. 5 is a plan view of the perforated top;

Fig. 6 is a plan view of the inner container, looking in the direction of the arrow 6 in Fig. 3;

Fig. 7 is a bottom view thereof, looking in D the direction of the arrow 7 in Fig. 3; and i lic material and is provided with relatively large openings at the two ends thereof, surrounded by externally threaded end portions 17 and 18.

The perforated cap 12 is threaded to fit on the end portion 17 and is provided with a cen- 1931 Serial No; 529,150.

tral guiding opening 19 for a purpose to be described.

The inner container 11 is enlarged toward its open lower end and is also preferably formed from glass or other-'non-metallic material. The open lower end portion. 20 of the inner container 11 fits snugly against the cylindrical inner wall 22 (Fig. 2) of the lower end portion 18 of the outer container 10, the I inner and outer containers being frictionally retained in the relative position shown in Fig. 1. The inner container 11 has an axial opening 24 at its upper end, and a guiding member 25 is mounted within the container 11 and has an axial opening 26.

The base 13 has an upwardly extending fiange threaded to fit the lower end portion 18 of the outer container 10 and the base is also provided with an axial opening within which the valve 14 is a sliding fit. The valve 14 is threaded to the lower end of a rod or plunger 32 having a cross-pin 33.

The parts are assembled in the relative positions shown in Fig.1, the valve 14 being screwed on at the lower end of the rod 32 after the rod has been placed in position.

A coil spring surrounds the rod 32, with the lower end of the spring engaging the cross-piece or partition 25 and the upper end of the spring engaging the cross-pin 33 and holding the cross-pin yieldingly against the end of the inner container 11. The extreme upper end of the rod 32 projects through the axial opening 19 in the cap 12 as indicated in Fig. v i

The valve 14 is a close fit in the opening 30 in the base 13 and is provided with slight recesses or depressions 42, Fig. 8, in the 0y.

lindrical side wall thereof.

The perforated cap 12 and base 13 are preferably formed of some non-corrosive metal, such as aluminum, or of some suitable nonmetallic material such as celluloid. The valve 14 and valve rod 32 may also be formed of celluloid or of some non-corrosive metal.

Having assembled the parts as shown in Fig. 1, it will be seen that the outer container 10 may be quickly and easily filled by remov-' ing the cap 12, and that the inner container 11 may be filled with equal ease by inverting the shaker and removing the base 13. In each case a filling opening of substantial cross section is provided.

When using the device, salt may be delivered through the openings in the perforated top 12 by inverting the shaker in the usual manner, and a measured quantity of pepper can be delivered by holding the shaker upright in its normal position and depressing the valve 14 a sufficient number of times to deliver the desired amount of material.

WVhile we have described the inner container 11 as fitting snugly and retained by friction, we may provide a slightly looser fit and secure the parts in assembled relation by a suitable cement.

All parts of our combination salt and pepper shaker may be easily and cheaply manufactured, and the device is easily assembled and also easily taken apart for cleaning when necessary.

While we have presented our invention as a salt and pepper shaker, it will be understood that any other materials may be placed in the outer and inner containers, and we do not limit the use of the device to salt and pepper or to any other specific materials.

Having thus described our invention and the advantages thereof, we do not wish to be limited to the details herein disclosed, otherwise than as setforth in the claims, but what we claim is 1. A combination salt and pepper shaker having an outer container, an inner container, a perforated top for the outer container, a base forming also a closure for the inner container and having an axial opening, and a valve slidable in said axial opening in said base and effective to deliver a measured quantity only of material from said inner container at each manual movement of said valve.

2. A combination salt and peppershaker having an outer container, an innercontainer, a perforated top for the outer container, a base forming also aclosure for the inner container, and having an axial opening, and a valve slidable in said axial opening and having recesses in its side wall positioned above said ,closure when in normal position and efiective to deliver'a measured quantity only of material from said inner container at each manual operation of said valve.

3. A combination salt and pepper shaker comprising an outer container externally threaded at both open ends and having a cylindrical inner surfaceat the lower open'end, an inner container snugly fitting against the cylindrical inner surface of the lower open.

end of saidouter. container and frictionally retained therein, a perforated cap for the upper open end of said outer container, a combination base for said outer container and closurefor the lowergopen end" of said inner container, said closure having an opening therethrough, and a valve normally closing said opening and effective to deliver a measured quantity only of material from said inner container at each manual opera tion of said valve.

4. A combination salt and pepper shaker comprising an outer container having a substantially unobstructed filling opening of substantial cross section at the upper end, an inner container mounted insaid outer container and having a filling opening of substantial cross section at the lower end, removable closures for said openings, and valve means for delivering material from said inner container, said valve means remaining in operative position when either or both of said closures are removed.

In testimony whereof we have hereunto afiixed our signatures.

HENRY M. TAFT. ARTHUR E. TAF T. 

